Loving a Snake
by Sonya-Heather-DeVito
Summary: Harriet finds a truth, that turns her world upside down. But how will she handle the brutal reality of her life now? Will things change between her and Marvolo? And more importantly, how will this affect the war? AU fic - Fem Harry/Voldemort and Dramione pairing. Harriet/Daphne/Hermione friendship. Dark Harry and Hermione. Oneshot turned fic. Rating to eventually go up.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note 1: This is a gender bend story where Harry Potter is a female. The events of the story take place during the second year, but she never gets her hands on the diary and in a turn of events, is kidnapped by Tom possessing Ginny.**_ _ **I don't own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!**_

 ** _Author's Note 2_ _: This story was written for The Houses Competition Year 3._**

 _ **House: Ravenclaw**_

 _ **Year: 7**_

 _ **Category: Additional**_

 _ **Prompt: Tragic Love**_

 _ **Word count: 1745**_

" _ **Bold and italic" is conversation in parseltongue.**_

* * *

She wanted it all to be a joke, wanted the nightmare she was having to stop taunting her and leave her be. But the almost lifeless body of Ginny, getting paler and paler with every passing second, proved her otherwise.

Her whole world had come crumbling down in a matter of seconds, shattered as soon as the words, _I AM LORD VOLDEMORT_ , appeared in the air.

She didn't know how to process the information thrown her way, didn't know whether to hide in a dark chamber for all eternity or blurt out the truth to the all too familiar face standing a few feet from her.

The familiar face of Marvolo, _her_ Marvolo; her only family in this lonely world, the man she knew better than she knew herself, the only person she would ever trust with her life, and apparently the one who had lied to her all along.

"You're a fool, Harriet Potter!" The boy _wearing_ her Marvolo's face chided her, a smug grin plastered on his face; his all too familiar grin just a painful reminder of how easily she had lost everything. And Merlin! Wasn't he right?

Wasn't Harriet a fool enough to already be a puppet in the hands of his counterpart? Wasn't Harriet an imbecile to care for the killer of her parents? Wasn't she an idiot to believe the sweet assurances he had whispered in her ear? Was she not stupid enough to take shelter in his warm arms whenever the darkness of the cupboard scared the life out of her?

Wasn't the _girl-who-lived_ , dumbest of all to fall in love with the _Dark Lord?_

She had stood there for what felt like an eternity, motionless and helpless, stood there even when _he_ called the basilisk and ordered it to _kill her_. Something in her snapped at that moment because as much as she wanted to erase the horrible memory of this meeting from her mind, she wanted answers.

And, there was no way Harriet was letting sweet, innocent Ginny pay the price of her naivety.

So she had done what was the right thing to do, what honour demanded and she fought the basilisk. She had fought like the _brave Gryffindors' her parents' were_ , she'd fought _nothing like the snake she was._

She didn't notice the blood oozing out of her arm when she killed the damned snake, didn't see the phoenix tears healing her wounds, didn't witness the shocked expression on Marvolo...no, Tom's face, the face of the monstrous boy who possessed Ginny and then kidnapped Harriet.

She did, however, see him being torn to shreds and noticed how her heart beat frantically at the thought of something happening like this to Marvolo, _her Marvolo._

* * *

He had witnessed the whole ordeal through her eyes, but that was the only option he was left with, since he was stuck in her brain all the time. He had witnessed the whole ordeal through her own eyes and allowed her to destroy the piece of the soul that once belonged to him.

He had witnessed the entire scenario but never once interfered.

He could recite, syllable by syllable, how the entire conversation between them was going to turn out, because Marvolo _knew_ her better than he knew himself.

He knew she would question him until he gave into the answers, she would demand to know why had he lied to her, she would get emotional too, but she wouldn't give up on him. And that was the only thing he _dreaded_. He hated to see tears in her beautiful emerald eyes, despised seeing her in pain and helpless and lonely, loathed how much alike they were in so many cruel ways.

Fate must be laughing at him, cackling at the state he was in - the child of the prophecy, the one destined to defeat him was becoming his own saviour.

Her pure and warm soul had melted him, made him a new person altogether, taught him to feel emotions that once never existed in his dark world. And as everyone knew, _Lord Voldemort_ was a _selfish bastard_.

How could he let the girl slip from his hand when he had just tasted the sweet essence of her existence? How could he avoid what felt like loving someone? How was Marvolo supposed to distance himself from her when she was the only person he belonged to?

The thoughts halted once again when he felt her falling asleep.

"You acted very brashly today, dearest. Didn't expect such ridiculousness from you." Was the greeting line he came up with as soon as she entered their shared dreamscape, which had taken the form of a library that night.

"Hello to you too, Marvolo." The usually cheery tone was absent, and he could see the accusations in her eyes. As expected, she chose to sit farthest from him, in the horrid red and gold armchair near the fireplace. He let her compose herself, let her contemplate the inner turmoil raving inside of her.

"Why?" Marvolo wouldn't have been able to hear the sweet whisper of her voice, had the silence not been so eerily painful.

"Why what, dearest?"

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about!" She sent him a hard glare.

"On the contrary, I don't." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"You _lied_ to me, Marvolo." Harriet finally exploded, anger getting a better hold at her. "Lied to me from the very beginning. You used me, manipulated me to get things done your way. How could you do this to me? _I love you,_ always had, but you continued to keep me in the dark. You are a liar, Marvolo, _just like Dumbledore_!"

He'd listened to her ranting with patience, every word a stab to his own heart, but his tolerance finally snapped at the mere mention of the old coot.

Did the insolent child seriously think she could get away with this?

Harriet felt his demeanour change as soon as the word 'Dumbledore' left her mouth, and she quickly shut up. From a very early age, she had learnt, not to push Marvolo's buttons too far, or the consequences will be severe. Her stance remained stiff as he rounded the desk, lessening the distance separating them, his crimson eyes bring into the emerald ones.

" _ **When did I lie to you?"**_ he hissed dangerously low, making her shiver in fright.

 _ **"Do you remember the first thing you asked me when you just started speaking?"**_ Another hiss and another blank stare from _his_ girl.

" _ **You asked 'who are you?' and my own reply was 'I'm just like you'. So tell me, little snake, when did I lie to you?"**_ Little snake was the nickname Marvolo had given to Harriet when she was three, when she hissed her first words in Parseltongue. He'd been so ecstatic that day, that his girl had too been granted with his _gift_.

"Aren't we alike, my dear? Both of us, _half-blood orphans_ , left on someone else's door like trash. Both of us speaking a language considered _evil,_ both inflicted upon pain and torture of highest degrees. So when I said 'I'm just like you', how was it a lie?"

"You asked me if I knew your'parents' and I refused, how was that a lie? I demanded you not to call me _'Tom'_ because I hate how _ordinary_ the name is, how is it a lie? _**How could you, of all people, accuse me of lying? How could you, dearest, not understand what the truth is, hmm?"**_

Harriet searched his face, thoroughly, ignoring the tightening of her chest at their close proximity not that he was kneeling in front of her. She searched his face, _thoroughly_ , and found nothing but sincerity.

She was reminded of all the past times, past memories they had created, _together_. Marvolo was there, encouraging her to speak fluently when she babbled gibberish, he was there praising her when she drew her first drawing. He was so proud the day Harriet ranked first position in primary school, and so he was so furious when Vernon hit her for scoring better than Dudley. Marvolo had wanted to rip the pig to shreds but he had to take care of the girl first, _his girl._

The day, Harriet had done her first accidental magic was the day he told her who he was. Until then Harriet just called him 'her only friend'. He taught her everything he could, made sure that she stood up to her bullies, always worried about her health above anything else. The happiest Harriet had seen Marvolo was the day she was sorted into _Slytherin_. He gave her a gift that evening, he told her about the _'Room of Requirement'_ , so that they could start on her training with _Parselmagic_ ; and Harriet was on cloud nine.

They both _loved_ each other in their own ways, always had, and just the thought of her life without him was enough to make her sick.

"What's the truth, Marvolo?" Harriet asked, not sure of what his answer would be but his crimson eyes never left hers. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't afraid of what he was going to say, wanted to make sure that she was ready to face her reality.

"The truth, is that I will never regret killing your parents." And she finally broke down, tears never stopping, betrayal in her eyes, but he went on because _Lord Voldemort_ had always been a _selfish bastard_.

"I would never regret killing your parents, killing your father when he was defenseless, killing your mother when she stood protectively in front of you. I would never regret, dearest, casting the killing curse on you that night." That was the final blow, and Harriet lowered her eyes, trembling like a leaf until two warm arms engulfed her and pulled her firmly against his chest.

The familiar aura of Marvolo surrounded her, his scent soothing her despite the tornado of emotions she was struggling with. And she let him comfort her, do as he pleased, because no matter how horrible of a person he was, no matter how much he had already destroyed her life, Harriet could never _hate_ him.

"But the truth doesn't matter to me." Harriet listened to his words carefully, but couldn't understand. She looked at him with puffy eyes and wet lashes.

"What matters to you then?"

" _ **The fact that, you're mine."**_ He hissed as he traced the _lightning-bolt scar_ on her forehead.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: This was supposed to be a one shot, but now it's a series. Thank you so very much to all the people who have favourited/followed the story. It was because of you guys, I continued with the idea of this fic.** **I don't own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!**_

 _ **The story continues from where it left off. Let me know what you guys think about it!**_

* * *

Harriet was being aloof; not that he could blame her for acting so distant anyway. It was his own fault and as a responsible adult, he acknowledged that little fact pretty well. But the chain of events that occurred in the Chamber had changed things significantly, making Marvolo concerned. He was troubled not because Harriet was ignoring him like he didn't even exist in the first place, no...he was concerned because she was asking questions. She was demanding answers for which she wasn't ready, and she was demanding truthfulness, urging him to spill secrets Marvolo swore he wouldn't tell another soul.

She asked how he got stuck in their mind palace? She desperately wanted to know why his counterpart - Tom - didn't recognise her and tried to kill her? She was curious to get to the crux of the whole situation and he felt that it was all his fault; after all Marvolo was the one who had encouraged Harriet to always ask questions and to gain knowledge. He was starting to wonder if this is how Snape actually felt in every Potion's lesson when Harriet's curiosity got the better of her and she asked stupidest questions.

Back to the point, he didn't want to explain the whole soul splitting phenomenon to Harriet just after his real identity was revealed. So he simply asked her to give him some time and wait until the summer break. In the meantime, he was more focused on their meeting with headmaster Dumbledore the next day. As expected, the old buffoon, instead of questioning the Weasley girl, had all but ordered Harriet to tell what actually had happened in the Chamber whilst he was gone. Thankfully, Snape-like the secret mother hen he was for his snakes, had interfered saying that the girls clearly needed some rest after their exhausting adventure. Though the Potion's master didn't budge Harriet himself, knowing full well that she would eventually tell him everything; she needed some time by the distant look on her face.

* * *

The next morning, Albus Dumbledore was sipping on his tea, thoughtfully. This year had already been stressful, even more so than last year, because this time the Chamber of Secrets had opened yet again - by unknown sources. He'd thought that Harriet had been the one behind all this, but he'd been wrong. She had either been in her classes or his sight whenever suspicious things have happened. That did not mean Albus trusted her, no, absolutely not. He'd always been wary since the second she was sorted into the snake house instead of lion's den. He'd thought that the years spent with the Dursley's would have made her more humble and polite; ready to pounce on any chance of happiness and appreciation thrown her way. But he was so wrong, because he'd never anticipated his plans going down the drain and the girl becoming a Slytherin. He'd never thought of her being more cunning and ambitious, in comparison to being brave. And he definitely did not expect her to remind Albus so much of the handsome boy of Wool's Orphanage. Had Albus failed?

The girl occupying his thoughts entered the office alongside the youngest Weasley, and both their Head of Houses just behind them. He watched her walk and take a seat across from him; her steps all cautious but her walk still confident - so much like Tom. An awkward silence stretched when the headmaster just stared intently at the two girls for several moments, but Harriet knew that he was trying to use Legilimency, so she avoided as much eye contact as possible and tried to keep her mental shields high.

"Lemon drop?" Ginny stared at the old man as if he was mental, but her head neat her to it.

"Albus, the girls aren't here to eat candy. I think we should come straight to the point and get this conversation done. Miss Weasley is still in very much shock from what happened." Minerva was blaming herself for all this though; she felt it was her fault that not one but two children were dragged into the secret chamber. After all, she was the one who was in charge, after Albus' abrupt departure. She couldn't feel more guilty

"Ah, yes Minerva, of course. Miss Weasley? Could you please tell me what happened?" though he spoke in the most gentle voice he could muster, Ginny shivered visibly.

"I...I don't really remember anything. I just woke up, performed my morning rituals and after having some breakfast, I…" Ginny didn't speak any further. There was distinct fear in her eyes and everyone noticed it immediately.

"She's scared," Harriet whispered in her mind to Marvolo. He'd been quite from the time they had stepped into the office.

"Of course, she is. She was possessed by my other self, what else do you think would her reaction rather be?" Marvolo chided.

"Then what Ms Weasley? Did something after that?" The headmaster nudged her and was met by Ginny's fearful expressions.

"No, professor. I was in my dorm the whole day, completing my work. After that, all I remember is Harriet waking me up and then Fawkes brought us here." The eleven-year-old tried her best to come up with a good lie and backstory, but her trembling body said otherwise.

"Miss Weasley, you're safe here. No one is going to harm you, so I ask again, what exactly happened yesterday. And please tell us the truth. Only then we can help you," the headmaster tried again, and this time thick tears rolled down Ginny's eyes. Minerva instantly pulled her close and rubbed her back in assurance. Snape groaned internally. Couldn't Albus have waited a day or two for his questioning? The child was clearly distraught. He took the goblet of water from the table and offered it to Ginny. They waited patiently until she was ready to speak again.

"I'm sorry for lying. I was scared." Ginny whispered.

"Don't worry, Miss Weasley. You won't get punished for this. Tell us what happened." McGonagall's stance provided her comfort, so she spoke.

"After having breakfast, I wrote in the diary, as I usually did. Then I felt a little light headed…" Before she could speak any further, Snape spoke up.

"You felt light-headed after you wrote in the diary?" Ginny nodded. "Did it happen every time you wrote in it?" Another affirmative nod.

"Tell me about this diary, Miss Weasley."

"I found it in my cauldron after I came home from buying my school supplies. I didn't remember buying it. But it looked nice, so I wrote in it. But, it was very different because he started writing back." All three adults were listening to her intently.

"It started writing back?" Minerva questioned, not really believing on what she heard.

"He," Ginny corrected, "he started writing back. He said that he wanted to be my friend, when I told him how sometimes felt left out in the family. At first, it was nice, he always helped me with my assignments and would reply nicely. But then I started getting light-headed a lot. I would often remember writing in the diary, then there were gaps of what actually happened. One day though, I remember waking up covered in blood and feathers. I asked him what he was doing to me, but he said that it wasn't his fault and just tricks of my mind. But, I think he lied to me. Like every time happens, there are gaps and I don't know what happened." Ginny's voice was hoarse and her voice pleading.

"Clear signs of possession. Gaps in memories, steadily declining health, paleness on the face." Severus muttered and Minerva gasped in shock. A student of her house was in control of possession and she didn't have the slightest clue. How did she not see that?!

"Very true, Severus," the headmaster spoke again, "though I would like to know who did the diary belong to Miss Weasley? Who is 'he'?"

"Tom M. Riddle." Ginny looked straight in the headmaster's eyes as she answered and saw him pale slightly. Snape's eyes too widened a bit after hearing the name.

"Who is he, Albus?" the head of Gryffindor asked after she noticed how her colleagues' demeanour changed. "Do you know him?"

"Lord Voldemort. His full name is Tom Marvolo Riddle," Dumbledore replied and both McGonagall and Ginny looked horrified. He had already been suspecting that, but the question was how? How was Tom able to possess someone? He looked at Harriet who didn't show any change in expressions even after hearing the Dark Lord's name. Did she know about this somehow?

"And how did you end up being in the Chamber, Miss Potter?" His tone was slightly accusing, and the others present in the room quickly caught onto that.

"I was going back to my dorm from the library when I found Ginny standing just outside the door to the Slytherin Common Room. I suspected something off, because she was literally just staring at the wall intently. I called out to her and she looked at me with a really sinister smile on her face." Harriet regaled them with her side of the story.

"Before I could ask her anything, she took out her wand and stunned me. Then I woke up, feeling really cold and wet, and saw that it was a large, dimly lit and probably the dirtiest chamber there could ever be. Ginny was lying there, unconscious too, and paling whiter with each passing second. Then I saw a boy," Harriet didn't say that she recognised his face, but every word she spoke was thought out carefully. She was like she was reliving the whole incident once again, but this time Marvolo assured her that he was right there with her.

"He was probably fifteen or sixteen years old, and he was wearing the Slytherin Prefect's badge. But I had never seen him before and his uniform too didn't match ours. I asked him his name and what was that place. He told me it was the Chamber of Secrets, and upon being asked why he brought me there, he said he wanted to kill me. He told me how he possessed Ginny, through the help of his diary and how ecstatic he was to finally meet me in person. I didn't understand, of course, but he was too caught up in himself. He said he wanted to meet me and see what was so special about me that I was able to survive the killing curse, and in turn defeated Lord Voldemort. When I asked why was so bothered with the Dark Lord's failure, he revealed his true identity. He wanted to finish the job his future self couldn't, he told."

Harriet picked up a piece of parchment and taking out her pen she wrote

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

"It's an anagram, the name literally meaning 'flight from death'. Anyway, he looked rather pleased that his plan worked efficiently. Somehow, I got lucky and Fawkes came there with the sorting hat, but he was quick to summon the basilisk. I don't really know how I got the courage to fight the monster, I just knew that it wasn't Ginny's fault. I took hold of the Gryffindor sword and plunged it forcefully into its head. One of its fangs, though, tore into my skin." Harriet pulled up the sleeve of her right arm, and there was the ugly looking, egg-sized scar on her skin.

"The Basilisk bit you? How did you survive?" Severus paled drastically seeing the nasty scar. He was fully panicking on the inside. Minerva too went into mother hen mode.

"Fawkes cried on it," Harriet said as she looked at her head and assured him that she was indeed okay.

"To be honest, I thought I was going to die. But, Fawkes saved me at the last moment. When I opened my eyes again, there was no one there and Ginny had woken up. After that, Fawkes brought us back to an empty corridor and we both went directly to the Professors." Harriet finished her end of the tale. The headmaster was staring at her intently.

"And what about the diary?" he asked.

"There was no diary," Harriet said innocently, in a way that reminded Albus so much of Tom.

"I beg your pardon," he said, not believing her in the least.

"I said there was no diary. When I opened my eyes, he wasn't there and Ginny had woken up." Harriet repeated her statement. The eleven-year-old backed up her up.

"Harriet is right. There was no diary. I don't know where it went, but I'm glad I didn't have to take a look at it," she then turned her attention to her saviour, "thank you, Harrie. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't saved me." Her voice showed sincerity, but Harriet just smiled and shrugged it off. Ginny was one of the few people she genuinely liked and she would have helped her either way.

"No problem. Though next time, remember not to use any object that has the tendency to back." Ginny smiled for the first time and both the Heads looked proud at the display of friendship.

"Miss Potter, did you say that you wielded the Sword of Gryffindor?" Minerva asked, quite shocked at the fact.

"Yeah, it did."

"But...but how?" she asked, "You aren't even a Gryffindor."

"Can't a snake be brave, professor?" Harriet counter questioned, and Albus looked as if he swallowed a dozen lemon drops.

"And, how…" The headmaster's question was cut by Minerva's stern voice. "I think that's enough Albus. The girls have told what happened. I think they should go and rest now." McGonagall said, quite irritated of how the headmaster was still suspicious of Harriet.

The headmaster got the clue and allowed them to leave. On their way back, Harriet finally turned to Ginny and voice her thoughts

"Why did you lie to the headmaster when I said there wasn't any diary?" She was curious as to why the little witch backed her up. Ginny just shrugged.

"Because I trust you more than I trust him. You saved my life, even when it wasn't your place. You fought and killed the basilisk. That reason was enough for me to trust you, and do as you wanted. The headmaster is the one in charge, but he still didn't utilise his time to find the chamber and try to close it." Ginny said, and Harriet looked at the youngest Weasley curiously.

"Thank you for that," she said. She was a bit cautious of her now, however, but still thankful.

"No problem! But I hope it wouldn't harm anyone else." Ginny whispered, and Harriet pulled out the said diary out if her robes - utterly destroyed.

"It won't." Ginny paled visibly and with a slight nod, she quickly left.

"What makes you so special?" Harriet whispered.

"You'll get the answer soon, dearest. Very soon." Marvolo replied.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: This was supposed to be a one shot, but now it's a series. Thank you so very much to all the people who have favourited/followed the story. It was because of you guys, I continued with the idea of this fic.** **I don't own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!**_

 _ **A/N: Just to clear up, Harriet is in Slytherin and Hermione is in Ravenclaw. According to the events, the story is towards the end of their second year. In next chapter the events from POA will start.**_

 **A/N:** _ **'Bold and italics' is conversation in parseltongue.**_

* * *

She didn't realise how quickly she'd reached back to the Common Room. On her way back though, Harriet's mind wandered to the plausible questions, she _knew_ , Daphne and Hermione would have in store for her. She turned around the corner and towards the entrance of Slytherin Common Room only to realise that she'd yet _again_ , forgotten the password. Harriet sighed heavily in annoyance. Thankfully, being a parselmouth came with its own perks, so she just hissed,

 _ **'Open'.**_

"You do know you can't always use parseltongue so openly. What will you do if someone accidentally hears you speaking it?" Marvolo asked. He was well aware of how responsible Harriet actually was but forgetting passwords wasn't amusing to him in the least.

"I'm sorry! My mind hadn't _exactly_ been in one place recently." He sighed at her frustrated tone. She was right, he knew, but they couldn't afford for her secret to being out just yet.

"Its okay, don't fret over it. I only want you to be careful. Even more so now, because I think, we _officially_ have Dumbledore on our tail. He _knew_ that you lied to him about the diary, but he _couldn't_ do anything because of the Weasley girl backing you up. So..." Marvolo's words halted when Daphne's booming voice interrupted him.

"Harriet! Where were you? You weren't supposed to be out of your bed all day, but I found you missing since I woke up." Daphne glared daggers at the raven-haired girl. The Greengrass girl loved Harriet, _really_ , but her best friend's habit to somehow landing up in life-threatening situations made her worry too much.

"The headmaster wanted to meet me," Harriet muttered looking at both her friends.

"Is everything okay, Harrie?" Hermione gently asked as she moved forward from her seat on the couch.

"Yeah, everything is all right. Let us talk about it in my room. We're gaining unwanted attention here," Harriet muttered as she silently signalled to Draco's sidekicks - Crabbe and Goyle - who seemed more interested in Harriet's conversation instead of their own work. Daphne and Hermione caught on to what she meant and agreed, and they followed Harriet to her room silently.

Upon reaching, both girls settled comfortably on the large four-poster bed and waited as Harriet activated the privacy wards. That was one other thing she loved about being in the snake-house. Every student of the Slytherin house was given their own room so that their privacy remained unharmed.

"Start from the very beginning, Harrie. What exactly happened after we parted ways?" Hermione asked. The bushy-haired girl was the most stunned because Hermione was the one who saw Harrie just before she went missing.

"So when I was returning from escorting you to the Ravenclaw tower, I saw Ginny standing just outside the entrance to the Common Room."

"The youngest Weasley?" Daphne asked, and Harriet nodded in affirmation.

"That's odd! How did she know where the entrance was? I thought she didn't know anyone in Slytherin." Hermione asked with furrowed brows.

"That's what I thought too, so I called out to her, thinking that she may have lost her way in the dungeons. I knew something was terribly wrong as soon as she looked at me." Harriet repeated the day's events to her friends, but unlike last time, she didn't lie to them about the diary.

Harriet gently took out the unique object from where it had been safely tucked in her robes, placing it on the bed. The _once_ neat and pristine diary was now just a tattered mess of parchments, soaked in muddy water and dried blood. Daphne sucked a sharp breath upon seeing the large hole in the centre, where the basilisk fang had been brutally plunged.

Harriet also showed them the nasty scar where the basilisk bit her, and could already see Daphne's anger rising over her decision of acting so brashly and putting her life in danger.

"She was possessed?" Hermione broke the painful silence and just got an affirmative nod.

"That explains her weird behaviour," Hermione continued.

"How so?"

"Remember that day in the Great Hall, Daph, when we accidentally bumped into her?"

"Yeah! She was downright rude, even going to the lengths of calling you a _'mudblood'_ and _'filthy_ _creature'_ ," Daphne pointed out.

"She called you what?" Harriet narrowed her eyes at Hermione. She was fiercely protective of her friends and someone calling them callous names _wasn't_ acceptable.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Hermione sighed dejectedly but smiled nonetheless seeing how protective her friends were. "The very next day though, she asked for my help as if didn't remember anything she said or did. I found it really odd, so I started observing her."

"Of course, you did." Harriet and Daphne said in unison and chuckled slightly making the bushy-haired girl huff in annoyance.

"Well now that you have mentioned this though, I do remember the Weasley twins cornering Ginny and asking about her depriving health," Harriet said. She _couldn't_ fathom how difficult it would have been for the Weasley girl all this time. It was because Harriet was the only one who knew of how ruthless and cold-hearted Marvolo could easily be if he wanted.

" _ **I'm not the same person as I once used to be, dearest**_ ," Marvolo whispered, reminding her yet again that he was different from Tom.

" _ **I know**_ ," Harriet whispered back.

Hermione, on the other hand, was observing the diary. Her own thoughts consumed her as her fingers trailed the traces of dried blood. She looked at the tiny raven-haired girl sitting across from her, who was already watching Hermione's every movement. Sometimes Harriet's intense gaze, made Hermione think, that she was an all-together _different_ person.

"My question is though, _why_ did You-know-who kidnap Harriet and attack her suddenly? More importantly, why would he _possess_ someone, that too _with_ a diary? How did a diary _fit_ in all these murderous plans?" Daphne swore under her breath at Hermione's quick questions. Sometimes the blonde-girl found it immensely difficult to keep up with Hermione's brilliant mind.

"I'm not sure I'm following your thoughts," Harriet said sincerely.

"Last year, even when the Dark Lord was living off as a parasite by possessing Quirrell, he _didn't_ try anything to go out of his way to harm you. You said that he just wanted the Philosopher's stone, which you did give him, but it turned out to be fake. But, according to what he told you, he was _already_ suspicious about it." Harriet nodded her head in agreement.

"What are you insinuating, Hermione?" Daphne whispered.

"The Dark Lord seemed to genuinely like Harriet from their conversations. In fact pleased enough to even send her a Christmas present. Then where did such hatred ness _suddenly_ come from? The Dark Lord who hideously taught us last year, and the one you're talking about now, somehow seem to be _two different people_."

Out of all the important questions, Daphne's mind seemed to be stuck only on one thought.

"Wait, wait! The Dark Lord sent you a Yuletide present?" The Greengrass girl narrowed her eyes at Harriet, who too was pondering over the same thought. Harriet's eyes widened in realisation, "That book on the dark and grey magic, wasn't from Professor Snape, but Voldemort!"

"How long had you known about it?" Harriet questioned the Ravenclaw.

"As soon as I saw the note. It wasn't in Professor Snape's handwriting," she answered truthfully.

"She's too smart for her own good." The words slipped unintentionally out of Marvolo's tongue which caught Harriet's attention, and it became perfectly clear on what he meant when Hermione's questioning eyes landed on her.

"This diary isn't ordinary. Not even the dark magic used on it and he possessed a person with its help. What is it, Harriet? What are you _not_ telling us?"

Daphne looked between her friends, clueless as to where the conversation was going. Harriet, on her own part, felt guilty. Daphne and Hermione were her first friends and the only people who cared about her apart from Marvolo. She could proudly say that life at Hogwarts was a bit brighter and happier because of the two amazing witches sitting in front of her. _Yet_ , she hadn't told them anything about Marvolo or his relationship with her.

Marvolo, for Harriet, wasn't just her friend and family. He was her _entire_ world. He was the most important person in her life, someone she looked up to and wanted to make proud. He was her teacher and guide, her mentor and yet, her _darkest secret_.

Harriet hadn't even uttered about his existence to another soul, because honestly, who would listen to a girl claiming that she had someone living in her head? The world would have thought that the Dursley's were _right_ all along!

And then their bond had grown so strong that Harriet _would_ die before even thinking of giving upon Marvolo. Daphne and Hermione were her friends, but Harriet wouldn't spill about Marvolo to them _until_ he said so.

Harriet sighed in exhaustion. She was bloody tired and just wanted to ease her mind from the horrible turn her life had suddenly taken. She straightened her back before turning her full attention to them, "I don't know. I don't know what bloody piece of magic that murderous diary is, and I don't know the motive behind all that has happened. Please trust me because I'm not lying to you. I, myself, am trying to find the answers and I will tell you in time. _Please believe me_." She looked at her only friends with pleading eyes, because Harriet didn't want to lose them when she had just started understanding what true friendship meant.

"Of course we do, sweetie," Daphne moved forward and hugged her close. "Hermione didn't mean to make you upset. She asked only because we worry about you. We know about those vile creatures you are forced to call your family, and we know how your life is in constant danger. We care for you, sweetheart, and that is why we want to help you in any way possible." Daphne rubbed soothing circles on her back, a trick she learned that calmed Harriet down immensely.

Hermione joined the hug too, stroking Harrie's hair lovingly, "I'm sorry, Harrie. Daph's right, I didn't want to make you sad or upset in the least. We just don't want you to act this recklessly ever. Take as much time as you want, love. We'll wait." Harriet buried herself in between them. It was rare moments like these where she felt truly safe and protected.

"That's not very nice, dearest. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of you. Have been doing so for the past so many years. I don't remember getting such recognition for my good actions." Marvolo huffed dramatically, crossing his arms over his chest and acting like a five-year-old. Harriet simply ignored him for the time being.

Like the gentleman he was, Marvolo waited when _his_ girl ignored his rantings, but the other two girls squeezing the life out of them was making him fidgety.

 _ **"For Merlin, Morgana and Salazar's sake, little snake, tell the stupid girls to step away. It's getting on my nerves**_!" Marvolo absolutely loathed being hugged or any form of physical contact for that matter.

"Shut up, Marvolo." Harriet smiled at him cheekily. She loved hugs _only_ because Marvolo hated them. The three girls broke apart when the grandfather clock chimed and indicated that it was time for lunch.

"Come on, let's get going. Between worrying for Harriet and getting all my stuff packed, I didn't have a decent breakfast. Now, I'm starving," Daphne said as she made her way towards the door.

"Oh Salazar!" Harriet groaned in annoyance.

"What happened, Harrie?"

"Dear Harriet here forgot that we're leaving today, and so she didn't pack," Hermione spoke in an amused tone.

"WHAT!" Daphne exclaimed. She didn't want to miss out on her lunch as well.

"How did you know?" Harrie asked as she peeked slightly from where her face was buried in the pillow.

"And I'm the dramatic one!" Marvolo too added his own _unwanted_ opinions.

"You always forget about stuff. Like bringing homework even though you've done it, the passwords to the common room, and apparently packing your things too." Harrie wasn't amused, but Hermione couldn't stop laughing at her pouty expressions.

"You guys carry on. I'll join you in a few minutes as soon as I finish packing," Harrie moved to get her wand when Daphne stopped her.

"No! Its the last day of the year, and I want to spend it with my girls. Leave it, Harrie. It'll take just a few minutes anyway. We'll quickly sort it after lunch," Daphne suggested and so they left for the Great Hall.

"I don't understand why are you even friends with her? She talks way too much. It gives me constant headaches," Marvolo muttered when Daphne was animatedly telling them about her summer plans.

"And I don't understand why do I even bother with your nonsense," Harriet retorted playfully.

"That is because I'm the most _amazing_ person you'll have the chance to meet, little snake," the Dark Lord spoke in his haughty tone. Harriet hid the worry behind her slight smile as she walked beside Hermione and Daphne. She wasn't looking forward to her summer holidays because neither was she ready to leave Hogwarts, and nor was she ready to face and tolerate the Dursley's.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: This was supposed to be a one shot, but now it's a series. Thank you so very much to all the people who have favourited/followed the story. It was because of you guys, I continued with the idea of this fic.** **I don't own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!**_

 _ **A/N: The events of POA start from this chapter onwards.**_

 **A/N:** _ **'Bold and italics' is conversation in parseltongue.**_

* * *

" **Horcrux**. That is the word you've been searching for this whole time. That is what the diary once used to be. A Horcrux." Marvolo spoke in deep thought as thunder rumbled and he allowed the storming rain drench him deep to the bones. Harriet looked at him with concern - their shared dreams were usually set up in the form of library or in rare cases, somewhere outdoors. _Never_ had they explored Marvolo's memories before. He'd always been very private and secretive about his past, yet here they stood, in front of a grey and old building that said _'WOOL'S ORPHANAGE'_.

The thick raindrops and the raging storm were _clear_ indications of the inner battle Marvolo was going through. Harriet could feel how painful it was for him to relive his past and painful memories, _but he was trying - just for Harriet._

She took his larger hand gently in her smaller ones, not caring in the least about her shivering body or the wet hair sticking to her face.

She took his cold hands in her warmer ones, to _remind_ him that she was here - by his side - and always will be.

Their attention snapped when they saw a bunch of kids surrounded in a nearby park, and laughing uncontrollably. Marvolo led Harriet to the group of hurdled children; his hand unconsciously tightening around her, making sure that he didn't lose her.

Harriet audibly gasped when she came to the scene - there he was, a bruised, bloodied and far younger Tom Riddle, beating another kid mercilessly. Not far away from them was a dead snake, and Harriet could see young Tom refusing to let the tears fall from his beautiful brown orbs.

"This kid - Billy Stubbs - killed my only friend because he could just _not_ see my younger self, happy and content. He was always the one to bully me, pick on me, and the others joined his lead happily. _No one_ wanted to befriend me, were afraid to even sit near me and all of this because I was a _freak_. They toyed with me, tortured me, dearest because I could do things _'normal'_ people couldn't. And the matron of the orphanage - Mrs Cole - just wanted a reason to punish me. She tried everything, Harrie, to take out the devil inside of me. These people were the ones who made me believe, even more, that I could never _belong_ with them; that I would always be the freak and spawn of the devil."

More flashes of his horrible childhood resurfaced in front of her eyes. It was like scenes of a movie playing all around her, while she stood still in the centre.

She saw five-year-old Tom sitting in the far corner of the room while other children played with the new toys they received on Christmas. She saw six-year-old stubborn Tom not even flinching when he was slapped hard on his face, for a mistake he didn't commit. She witnessed nine-year-old Tom walking back to the orphanage hurriedly, in order to avoid any fights and conflicts with his bullies. She also saw ten-year-old Tom staring outside the window, in fear, because he didn't know what the outcome of the ongoing war be.

Harriet could clearly see the similarities between her's and Marvolo's childhood. She understood _now_ , as to why he was so protective of her and hated the Dursley's so much; he _didn't want_ Harriet to endure a lonely and loveless childhood as he did. But she also realised that even though they both were similar in such cruel ways, there had been one major difference.

For as long as she could remember, Harriet always had Marvolo, and before him too, she had parents who loved her enough to sacrifice their lives for her. Marvolo, however, _had always been alone_ \- no mother, no father, and certainly no friends. She gently wiped those tears away; the tears that had escaped from her eyes on Marvolo's behalf.

"The day Stubbs killed my beloved snake, was the day I started _fearing_ death. Sure death had always been my enemy ever since it took my mother away from me, but seeing my beloved pet all bloodied and dead, really struck a cord." Marvolo swallowed hard as he tried to maintain his composure and Harriet didn't interrupt him.

"I realised that death is the ultimate end; that there would be no more life and opportunities after it. And I wasn't ready to give up on my life, no matter how miserable and insufferable it truly was. I wanted to learn more about the 'abnormality' that I had, wanted to explore it as much as I could. I wanted to defeat death and show everyone what I was capable of, and prove that they were right all along, to fear me. _**I never wanted to die because I knew that there would not be a single person to mourn for me when I eventually leave the mortal world,"**_ he hissed the last words spitefully and Harriet wondered as to how much hate and malice had been bottled up in his heart for so many years.

She tenderly touched his arm to grab his attention, and Marvolo snapped his head in her direction. He saw her pale slightly when she saw _rage_ written in his crimson eyes, and immediately realised his mistake.

 ** _"I apologise, little snake. It wasn't my intention to frighten you,"_** he said as he tucked the wet strands of hair from her face. Seeing Harriet in front of him, seemed to make him relax a bit, because the very next moment, the grey clouds covering up the beautiful sun-kissed sky, cleared up. The weather turned into a slightly breezy, yet still chilly one, as Marvolo took his time to control the overwhelming emotions.

With their hands still interlocked, they started moving forward. This time Marvolo's memories from his Hogwarts days came into view. Harriet initially _felt_ a little uncomfortable seeing teenage Tom Riddle because of the Chamber incident, but nonetheless, didn't voice her thoughts.

"I was ecstatic the day I received my Hogwarts letter. Truly, my happiness knew no bounds. I thought that I'd finally found a place where I belonged, after eleven years of abusive and pitiful existence. Salazar, how wrong I was!"

"What do you mean?" Harriet asked in a confused tone. _Wasn't_ Hogwarts supposed to be his home and safe haven, just like it belonged to her?

"As soon as I was sorted into the snake-pit, the whole house turned their backs on me. Apparently, they didn't think that a mudblood like me had any chance or honour to sit among nobles like them. They treated me like trash, just as the kids at orphanage did," Marvolo spoke in a casual tone as if the cruel words of his fellow housemates didn't matter to him in the least.

"It was their mistake. I didn't pay any heed to their crass words and buried myself deep into my studies. I knew that I didn't want to get suspended from Hogwarts for rude behaviour, because if anything of that sort happened, I would have been homeless and begging on the streets." He looked at Harriet with pleading eyes, trying to make her understand the reason behind his terrifying actions. She didn't say anything, just listened to him intently.

"Although I didn't show it outwardly, their malicious words cut me deep to the bone, making the already present hatred and vengeful intentions increase tenfolds. _**I wanted to rule them, make them grovel at my feet and kiss the ground that I walked upon. I wanted them all to pay. I wanted the snotty purebloods to pay for treating me - Tom Marvolo Riddle - as the worst of abominations, and I wanted others to face my wrath for being mute witnesses and not interfering when I was mercilessly bullied and bruised up enough to spend my weekends at the Hospital wing,**_ " he hissed in a whispered tone as he saw his twelve-year-old self sitting numbly on one of the hospital beds, and staring at nothing. The mediwitch was fretting over while healing the deep cut on his lip. She was telling him to either stand up against his bullies or inform the professor about it because she didn't like Tom being treated so badly.

"She was probably the only one to have an inkling of compassion for me," he spoke and Harriet could see an unrecognisable emotion in his _usually_ vacant eyes. "I _hated_ her the most; absolutely loathed her for caring about me, for treating me like a normal child and not a disease, for making me feel weak and pathetic."

"What happened to her?" Harriet asked, suddenly afraid of the answer she was about to hear.

 _ **"I killed her,"**_ Marvolo hissed, guilt lacing his voice.

 _ **"You what?!"**_ Harriet was horrified, _not_ because she was surprised by his murderous tendencies, but of the fact that he murdered the only person who genuinely cared about him.

"I killed her because Lord Voldemort couldn't have any weaknesses. He _never_ had the choice to live a normal and happy life, he was burdened with the responsibility to rule the wizarding world and save Mother Magic, or so I thought at that time." Marvolo sat on a stone bench with a heavy sigh, feeling guilty and stupid at his past mistakes and the ruckus his younger self had made. Harriet took the liberty to sat beside him and hear the rest of his story.

"After five years of hard work, I finally found the Chamber of Secrets. Finding the Chamber was a milestone for me; it proved that I was the noble Heir of Salazar Slytherin and it eventually led me to become the leader of the pureblood chain. The people who always had a sneer on their faces when I was in front of them, were in absolute awe when I revealed my Parseltongue abilities. In my excitement and the chance to redeem my image in front of the purebloods, I unleashed the Basilisk upon Hogwarts."

"You let the Basilisk - that giant monstrosity - out of the Chamber?"

"I did. There was an unmatched terror among students and teachers alike. No one knew what exactly the monster was, and it gave me the opportunity to _commit my first mistake._ The Basilisk killed a muggleborn from Ravenclaw, as well as the Hogwarts mediwitch Mrs Cooper," he spoke and stopped abruptly. His thoughts were consuming him while he tried to contemplate his raging emotions.

"What happened?"

"I didn't know that her death would affect me so much. I'd thought that she was a thorn on my side and that her death was necessary for my survival. Unfortunately, I fell deep into the trap of Dark Arts. I blamed myself for her untimely departure and that guilt, fueled up the desire that I had for Dark magic."

"How is it all _related_ to this 'Horcrux', Marvolo?"

"A Horcrux is an object in which a witch or a wizard conceals a fragment of his or her soul for the purpose of attaining immortality. Then, even if one's body is attacked or destroyed, they cannot die, for part of their soul remains earthbound and undamaged."

All colour drained from Harriet's face. It felt that she had been punched right in the gut. _Mutilating your own SOUL_ \- it was far worse than anything she'd imagined. Marvolo had a bittersweet smile on his face. He knew very well that no matter how cold and distant she seemed to others, Harriet was too innocent. She was a girl who'd been through pain and survived, however, she _wasn't_ someone who had the ability to unreasonably harm others.

 _ **"I wouldn't be surprised if you started hating me from this very moment. I would have done the same thing had I been in your place."**_ Harriet looked at him in disbelief. Did he seriously think that she hated him?

"What?" She spluttered.

"I know the horrendous crimes that I've committed are unforgivable, dearest. I was _mentally and emotionally unstable_ after creating my first Horcrux - the diary. In my hurry to gain immortality and defeat death, I messed up the ritual of soul splitting and accidentally put half of my original soul in the diary. That was my second mistake because _no_ Horcrux is supposed to house half of the owner's original soul."

"First?!" Marvolo slightly smirked at Harriet after hearing her whispered tone.

"Yes, first. I initially planned to create seven..."

"Because seven is the most powerfully magical number?"

"Brilliant, little snake. You do remember things!" He praised her to lighten up the thick mood a bit. But Harriet's expression remained as stoic as before.

"As I was saying before you so eloquently interrupted me, yes, I wanted to make seven but could only succeed in making six before my downfall on that Samhain night."

"You have six Horcruxes?"

"Hmm. Do want me to list them?" he got an affirmative nod.

"The diary - that you have already destroyed, the Gaunt's ring, Salazar Slytherin's locket, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, and...," he stopped speaking and looked at Harriet intently, making her shiver slightly.

"And? They are only five, Marvolo," she whispered.

 _ **"Harriet Lillian Potter."**_

"I beg your pardon?"

 _ **"Lord Voldemort's sixth Horcrux is Harriet Lillian Potter, dearest."**_

"I don't understand, Marvolo. How?" She was a bit frightened, he could sense, so he moved forward and wrapped her gently in his arms. Harriet didn't waste second to rest her head comfortably on his chest.

"On Samhain 1981, when I came to kill you - the child of the prophecy - your mother stood protectively in front of you. She invoked the powerful and ancient magic because of her selfless love for you, which lead to my counterpart's defeat. The creation of multiple Horcruxes had already degraded my body physically and mentally, so when I cast the Killing Curse on you," he felt Harriet shiver slightly and tightened his hold on her, "it backfired upon me. Your mother's magic was so powerful and pure that it defeated the most feared wizard of all time, that too in the blink of an eye. A piece of my soul, however, distorted from my body and latched onto your soul. And as you know, I've been with you ever since that fateful night."

Harriet looked at her with those striking green eyes that he loved so much. There were so many questions swirling in them but she didn't know how to voice them.

 _ **"Do you hate me for this condition of yours?"**_ Her voice came out timidly but he didn't let go of her.

"Remember one thing, little snake, I can _never_ hate you. It is not possible for me. My soul has found a home in yours; your soul has healed my broken one and I can't thank you enough for it. The years I've spent with you have helped me regain my mental stability. _**I'm once again whole because of you**_ ," Marvolo hissed with such sincerity that Harriet couldn't deny his words. "You are the most precious thing I could have asked for. Not only you're a powerful witch, but a female Parselmouth and the first living Horcrux. You're a Goddess among these petty humans." Harriet snorted loudly at the last statement, making Marvolo look at her amusingly. Harriet's expression soon changed, however.

"Is me being a Horcrux the reason, Lord Voldemort - the one possessing Quirrel - took so much interest in me, in the first year?"

"No. As far as I know, he isn't aware of this little secret."

"Then why the sudden interest?"

"The _same reason_ Dumbledore is wary of you. Your sorting into Slytherin and your personality befuddled him. Before meeting you, he would have thought of you as the arrogant saviour of the wizarding world and someone firmly on Dumbledore's side. You, however, surprised not only others but him as well, by going into the rival house and also befriending Severus. From what I can surely say, he would have found you as a puzzle to be solved. _**Like Dumbledore, he wants you on his side - as a pawn."**_

"And what do you want? Where do you stand among all these crazy manipulations?"

"I stand by my previous statement. I'm not the same person as I once used to be, little snake. Now, I'm just Marvolo; I'm neither Lord Voldemort nor Tom Riddle."

"Does this mean you will help me fight Voldetort when he returns?" Marvolo huffed a laugh at the horrendous nickname she had given to his counterpart.

 _ **"No. I'll fight him myself, because no one touches what's mine, not even my other self."**_

Before Harriet could ask as to how he would be able to fight the Dark Lord, she was woken up rather rudely by Aunt Petunia. Her day had just gotten infinitely worse when she heard that Aunt Marge was coming at No 4 Privet Drive.


End file.
